Hot Topics:

Colorado State football's secondary yielding too many big plays

Rams don't get caught up with stats, trying to fix mistakes

By Mike Brohard Sports Editor

Posted:
10/16/2013 02:42:17 PM MDT

San Jose State wideout Tyler Winston weaves his way up field in the fourth quarter of Saturday s 34-27 win over Colorado State. Winston scored on a 62-yard slip screen, one of three big scoring passes the Rams surrendered in the game.
(
Timothy Hurst
)

FORT COLLINS - The numbers say one thing.

In pass efficiency defense, Colorado State ranks 122nd out of 123 FBS schools, 164.28. It's based on the fact the Rams allow 307.3 yards per game through the air, or just shy of what Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith throws for (309) per outing for the Cowboys.

Colorado State has also allowed 17 passing TDs, the second most in the country, tied with Air Force and only surpassed by the 23 Idaho has surrendered.

"If I'm those guys up there, they're probably watching this thing saying right now, we've got a chance to set a national passing record," Colorado State coach Jim McElwain said. "Now, I was part of that. When I was at Eastern Washington we played David Klingler (at Houston), and John Jenkins was the coach, and they did everything they could to score 100 points. He threw 11 touchdown passes in that game and was in it all the way through the fourth quarter. Maybe that's what they're going to try to do."

Wyoming would say nothing of the sort. And as far as the Rams' secondary goes, they don't care what the numbers say, either. Not about efficiency, not about the seven touchdown passes of 48 yards or longer this season, five in the past two games.

"We don't pay attention to the statistics, and we still believe we're better than whatever we're ranked," senior Shaq Bell said. "We just have to come out and play with confidence overall and just compete."

That may be easier for him to say than his teammates. Bell is a senior, one whom McElwain said played well last week. He's already gone through his rough patches in his career and learned to deal with them.

Advertisement

But the rest of the crew he works with is mostly sophomores, with a true freshman thrown in for good measure. The key may be having a short memory at the position, but it has to be learned.

So is confidence, and the way the Rams' secondary talks, there's not lack of that.

"It's nothing that they really do that hurts us, it's something that we don't do," cornerback Bernard Blake said. "We know we're that close to being - not perfect, because no one's perfect - but we're close to being something special. We know as a unit that we have talent back there. We have experience, but at the same time we have youth. We know it's something that's going to come. It's a growing pain."

A concern, as well. Yards are going to be given up in the pass-happy Mountain West, where quarterbacks rule and defenses are seemingly at their mercy. There isn't a team in the conference giving up less than 350 yards per game. Still, Colorado State has given up what McElwain calls "chunk plays" (30 yards or more) through the air this season, and that's too many.

Blake admits some of them are repeat mistakes, but some are new. McElwain says the group is coachable, without a doubt. They work hard. But are they becoming resilient enough is still up in the air.

"To me the proof is still in the pudding," he said. "We're going to see some teams who are going to zing it around the field. Are they prepared to go and erase the pass, learn from it, but go out and compete? We'll see that on Saturday."

Bell is aware of what team's might be thinking after seeing film of the past two games. He also doesn't care what they think, and, he says he speaks for the entire secondary in saying bring it on.

"I know for myself I want them to throw at me," Bell said. "I haven't been getting a lot of action. I speak for the whole secondary. I know they want the ball thrown at them because that's a chance for us to make a play as well. We're not afraid they're going to throw deep, we're hoping they do."

In their minds, the fans are only seeing part of the story. Blake says if one were to watch tape of the past two games, they would see a greater success than failure rate. It's just that the mistakes have been so visible.

Not just to the untrained eye, but on the scoreboard. UTEP struck three times in the third quarter (twice for touchdowns), but the Rams were able to hold on to the win. Last week, San Jose State's trio of long scoring passes were their doom.

"It's a minor thing that's been turned into a big thing because of a consistency aspect," Blake said. "Once we become consistent and continue to grow as a unit, the plays will stop. We're not worried about it at all."

No doubt in the Mountain West, the CSU secondary will get ample opportunity to prove it.

Injury update — McElwain still would not commit to linebacker Shaquil Barrett playing Saturday, but he was encouraged by what the senior was able to doat practice Wednesday. Barrett ranks in the top five nationally in tackles for loss and sacks.

The bad news for the team was that true freshman defensive lineman Josh Lovingood will miss the rest of the season. The MRI on his foot showed he will need surgery, which he will have on Thursday.